The island trembled beneath the weight of their emotions. Lucy's eyes burned with rage as she glared at her older sister.
"Killing Master would have been the biggest mistake of your miserable life, Amanda. If you ever lay a hand on him, I'll search every corner of this world to find you and make you pay."
Amanda remained unfazed. The sea breeze swept through her short hair as she offered Lucy a faint smile, though a trace of sadness lingered in her eyes.
Before either sister could say anything more, Miyamoto stepped forward, resting one hand on his sword.
"Hey, hey. Calm down, both of you. Stop talking about killing me as if it's that easy. I'm the master here, remember? I'm not so easy to put in the grave. You kids still have a very long way to go before you can reach my level."
He approached them with his usual composure, seemingly unwilling to let their argument escalate any further.
Amanda turned toward him.
"Then listen carefully, Miyamoto. I'll only say this once. Convince Lucy to stop chasing me. My plans have changed, and I no longer need her by my side."
Her expression grew cold.
"And don't let your strength fool you into thinking you can hunt me down without consequences. The Avengers you fought years ago are no longer the same. Those standing today are far stronger than the Upper Five you faced back then."
Lucy tightened her grip on her sword until her knuckles turned white.
Amanda let out a quiet sigh.
"Since I can't convince Lucy to join me, I'll let her live however she wants. I expect her to do the same for me. We were never meant to follow the same path."
For a brief moment, Lucy's expression softened.
But the feeling didn't last.
She walked past Miyamoto and knelt beside Peaches. Gently lifting his lifeless body, she held him close to her chest.
"Fine. Do whatever you want, Amanda. Just stay out of my life, and I'll stay out of yours."
She looked at her sister one last time.
"We can live our lives separately. I was never your responsibility, and you were never mine."
Her voice trembled slightly as she finished speaking.
Lucy then turned away, carrying Peaches in her arms.
Amanda stood frozen, watching her younger sister walk away. Her lips trembled, but she quickly lowered her gaze to conceal her expression.
Have a good life, little sister… I'll do this for both of us, even if you never understand.
She raised one hand, and dark Renshi spread across the ground like black smoke. The energy gathered into a massive shadowy arm, which gently lifted the unconscious Clark and Raven.
Amanda drew them closer, shielding their bodies from the dust and debris still settling around the island.
Miyamoto watched her for a moment before speaking.
"Amanda, before you leave, I need to ask you something."
She glanced at him.
"The boy who died today was named Peaches. As you already know, his family was taken by the Avengers some time ago. If you can find out whether they're still alive, I'd appreciate it if you brought me word."
He paused, his expression growing more serious.
"The Avengers might be stronger now, but the same goes for me. I haven't even begun to show what I'm capable of, so don't underestimate me. As long as I'm alive, you shouldn't assume anyone can stand beyond my reach. I'm telling you this for a reason, kiddo. My strength is far beyond what you can imagine."
Amanda's expression changed slightly. For a brief moment, her usual confidence gave way to something resembling regret.
"Hmph. I'll see what I can do. But don't expect me to make it a priority. I have more important matters to deal with."
She paused before adding,
"Besides, he's not a saint, either. He killed Eren without hesitation, but I won't use that as an excuse."
She turned toward her followers.
One of the five Shinras raised his hand, opening a dark portal. Its edges twisted like a black hole, swallowing the light around it.
Without another word, Amanda stepped through with Clark and Raven. The five Shinras followed, and the portal closed behind them.
Silence settled over the island.
Lucy tightened her hold on Peaches when Miyamoto approached.
"No, Master. Don't take him from me. I'll carry him myself."
Miyamoto sighed.
"And where exactly do you plan to take him, Lucy? There's nothing ahead of us but the sea."
Lucy ignored him and continued walking toward the shore.
Miyamoto briefly closed his eyes.
"What a stubborn girl…"
He activated his Bloodline Technique, Range Domain.
The space around them twisted as his power took hold. Their bodies rose from the ground, and the surrounding world began to shift. In an instant, they were pulled through space, travelling across vast distances before their surroundings finally settled.
When the light faded, they had arrived in Guhan.
Lucy dropped to her knees and carefully laid Peaches on the ground.
His eyes remained closed.
His body was still.
For a long time, Lucy said nothing. She simply stared at his face, unable to accept that the person who had brought warmth back into her life was no longer there.
Miyamoto stood silently behind her.
For once, even he had no words to offer.
---
One Hundred Years Later…
The world had begun whispering a new name.
Amanda.
Rumours spread across the kingdoms of a young woman rising to power in the Avengers, one whose strength had already surpassed that of the reigning emperor.
The Avengers openly supported her rise, declaring her the rightful ruler. With their backing, Amanda's influence continued to expand, and her ambitions reached far beyond what anyone had anticipated.
Meanwhile, Lucy chose an entirely different path.
She established a free academy for orphaned children, offering those who had lost their families a place to live and learn. There, she taught them swordsmanship, not as a means of killing, but as a way to protect those who couldn't defend themselves.
Among her students, five stood out from the rest: Romero, Voldigo, Pascal, Fushira, and Onamuchi.
Lucy recognized their potential and trained them patiently, hoping they would grow into people capable of protecting others rather than bringing more suffering into the world.
For a time, teaching gave her a sense of purpose she had lost after Peaches' death.
Years had passed, but the world remained full of dangers. Innocent people continued to suffer at the hands of powerful Darkside Spirits, and Lucy could no longer stand by and watch.
Eventually, she made a decision that would change the course of her life.
She abandoned her former identity, disguised herself as a man, and assumed the role of a Special Darkside Knight.
From that day forward, Lucy lived in the shadows.
As the years passed, she changed her appearance, adopted different names, and created new identities to conceal who she truly was. Yet beneath every disguise, her purpose remained unchanged.
To protect the innocent, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness.
While Amanda built her power through ambition, Lucy built her legacy through sacrifice.
Their lives had taken completely different paths, but the bond between the two sisters had never truly disappeared.
And one day, their paths would cross again.